Fixture chain



March 10, 1925. 1,528,871

R. B. BENJAMIN FIXTURE CHAIN Filed June 5 1920 Z rwe n/W:

' www- Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

umrsn sures PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OFGI-IIOAG'O, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY,-OF-CHICAGO, ILIAINQIS, A CORPGR-ATION OF'ILLINOIS.

FIXTURE CHAIN.

Application. filed June 5,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that .I, REUBEN B. BENJA- MIN,-z1 citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new. and useful Improvements in Fixture Chains, .of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference beinghad .to the accompanying .,drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relatesto improvementsin chainsused in connection with electric lighting fixtures.,.and has for .its object the production of chain of this characterwhich will permit of the same being shipped and stored in knock-down form and which will permit .ofready assembly by the userand" made up by him in any desired length out of parts :which he maycarry in stock.

A further object is the production of a fixture chain of the character mentioned which will afford passage for a conductor wire therethrough and which will be of durable and economical construction, efiicient in use, andiof neat and pleasing design.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The .invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a fragment of afixture chain embodyingzthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line.22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partially sectional elevation of two of the-links of the chain;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the component sections or parts of one of the "links of the chain; and

'Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the engaging portionsof adjacent links, the lower link being elevated slightly so that the upper portion thereof is spaced from the lower portion of the upper link. a

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a chain which-is formed of a plurality of interengaging or interlocking links. Each link is of elongated loop formation and is formed of two longitudinal sections or parts 10. Said parts 10 areof identical construction, each being formed of a single piece of sheet metal which is bent upon itself to form a central curved portion which is convex at its outer side and concave at its inner side, this portion, when the sections of the link 1920. .fierial .No.- 386,840.

are assembled, forming one side .of thellink. Atthe ends of said curved central portion .of each link section are provided fiat transversely .extendingend portions .11 and 12. The portion 11 is formed with an integral eyelet 13, the end portion being formed with acircular opening 14.

The arrangement issuch that, in the assembly of the sections of the link, said sections are arranged reversely to each other sothat the eyelet 13 of one section will engage with the opening 14: of the other section, whereupon said eyelets "are upset or swaged by a suitable tool to permanently connect the link sections together, as clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 5.

In order to insure matching of the opposite sides of'the link, that is, in order to provide a link which will be perfectly symmetrical, each'link sectionadjacent the end 12 thereof is offset as at 15, this offset portion being of a width corresponding with the thickness of the metal which are thus compensated for.

With a construction as set forth, it will be seen that .the link sections may all be struck from the same die, the sections being all identical with each other. In shipping,

the sections are packed in knock-down form and will be carried in stock by the customer in this form until ready for use. hen it is desired to form a chain, the link sections are simply interlocked and the sections of each link permanently secured together by up setting the eyelets thereof as above pointed out. In this way, a chain of any desired length may be formed with ease and expedition. When the chain is completed, it will be seen that diametric openings will be formed through the eyelets at'the upper and lower sides of each link which afford apassage for the conductor 16 "cooperating with the fixture which is suspended by the chain.

rying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth,' but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications-as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of interengaging links, each link being formed of two longitudinal sections having their ends overlapped; and an eyelet at one end of each of said sections extending through an opening in the adjacent end of the other section for fastening said sections together.

2. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of inter-engaging links, each link being formed of two longitudinal sections having their ends overlapped; and an eyelet at one end of each of said sections extending through an opening in the adjacent end of the other section for fastening said sections together, each section adjacent said end thereof having said opening therein being offset to render the link symmetrical.

3. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of inter-engaging links each link being formed of two longitudinal sections the central portion of each section having an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface means on said sections formed integral with the ends thereof for connecting said sections together, said section ends being formed with openings for the passage of a conductor therethrough.

t. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of inter-engaging links, each link being formed of two longitudinal sections, the cen tral portion of each section having an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface, the ends of said sections being overlapped; and means on one end of each of said sections engaging an opening in the adjacent end of the other sections tor fastening said sections together.

5. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of inter-engaging links, each link being formed of two longitudinal sections, the central portion of each section having an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface, the ends of said sections being overlapped; and an eyelet on one end of each of said sections engaging an opening in the adjacent end of the other sections for fastening said sections together, each side of the link adjacent one end thereof being offset to render the link symmetrical.

6. A fixture chain comprising a pluralit of inter-engaging links, each link being formed of two longitudinal sections having their ends overlapped; and an eyelet at one end of each of said sections engaging an opening in the adjacent end of the other sections and being swaged over the latter for fastening said sections together.

7. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of connected loops, each loop comprising two mating longitudinally extending sections. united at their ends to lorni the loop, one section having an aperture in one end and the other section having a tubular portion extending through said aperture, to position the sections with respect to each other and to form a passage for the conductor.

A fixture chain comprising a pluralit of connected loops, each loop comprising two mating longitudinally extending sections. united at their ends to form the loop, one section having an aperture in one end and the other section having a tubular portion extending through said aperture, to position the sections with respect to each other and to form a passage for the conductor, said tubular portion being riveted over to hold the sections together.

9. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of connected loops, each loop con'iprising two mating longitudinally extending sections united at their ends to form a loop. each section having an aperture at one end. and a tubular portion at its other end. the tubular portion of one section extending through the aperture oi the other section to position the sections and form passages for the conductor.

10. A fixture chain comprising a plurality of connected loops. each loop comprising two matinglongitudinally extending sections united at their ends to form a loop each sci tion having an aperture at one end and :1 tubular portion at its other end, the tubular portion of one section extending through the aperture of the other section to position the sections and form passages for the con ductor, said tubular portions being riveted over to hold the sections together.

In witness whereof". T have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

